Rebirth
by Li'l Yahiko
Summary: There are legends of a man who sold his soul to gain power over the dead. What if they weren't legends? Kenshin can't seem to get a hold of reality, especially since Tomoe is back from the DEAD. KKT Story 1 of 2
1. Distracting Memories

_**Rebirth**_

(Disclaimed)

There was a man who sold his soul

For powers of the dead…

After that his bloodlust hunger

Never could be fed

He blackened heart was longing

For revenge he yearned to pay

But until then he hides in darkness…

_Or so the legends say…_

Chapter 1: Distracting Memories

The morning had brought a freezing chill within the air, one that told of winter approaching, and approaching fast. Breakfast was warm, if not a little burnt, but acceptable nonetheless.

After the two youngest of the household -the ten-year-old pickpocket and the nineteen-year-old freeloader- were sent out for firewood (if they wanted to live under the roof, that is), the rurouni had nothing to do but laze around.

Laundry had been completed yesterday, and all the dishes had been washed. Kaoru was off somewhere, where he did not know, but he sat on the porch, his back propped against one of the support beams of the house, staring out into the gloomy gray sky. The small wind chime jingled and jangled above him, somehow making the world around him seem just all the more lonely.

Suddenly, a small white speck caught his attention as it drifted towards the ground under a light breeze. It was followed by another, and then another, and then there were more.

"It's snowing…" He exclaimed, somewhat surprised that the first snow was already upon them. His mind wandered back to a certain time in the snow… a place… a person… a blade… and now a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek. _Snow…_ He whispered in his head, the fringe of his hair hiding his amethyst eyes.

They were not happy memories, but he almost didn't even consider them so anymore. They were now more like reminders, just like the accursed thing on his face. No… He would never forget. If only, if ONLY, they had had more time together. He wondered what it would have been like to spend the rest of his days with his lover, healing her heart as she healed his soul, never being overburdened by anything, never having a single task except to protect and adore that woman… but what-ifs and if-onlys were pointless and depressing. He'd rather not dwell on what could have been.

"Kenshin!"

A voice snapped him out of his stupor, and he glanced up at the adoring face of the young swords-mistress who had so kindly taken him into her home. She was smiling in a way that made him feel cared about, but it took a moment for it to register that she had indeed addressed him.

"Oro?" He asked, rather unintelligently.

"Kenshin, it's freezing out here! Come on and get inside before you catch your death of cold!" She told him.

That wasn't likely, even considering his bared chest and lack of scarf. His immune system against the cold had always been fairly high, considering he'd trained shirtless in it once as a child. Of course, he was not about to complain to her, for she was only looking out for him, and that was one of the best feelings in the world.

"Kenshin, are you listening?"

"O-oro? Oh, y-yes… Let us get inside, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin replied, blushing a bit in embarrassment.

-

Her voice startled him out of his dreams when in his visions she turned and spoke to him, her dark eyes cast into his. He could not hear her words, but he could see her mouth moving, and then, _"Kenshin."_ His eyes flew open to find himself against the wall near the door of Kamiya Kaoru's house. He had apparently fallen asleep while waiting for Sanosuke and Yahiko to return and snoozed until her voice… and now he realized, the door opening, had snapped him awake.

"Morning sunshine," Yahiko said blandly from behind the pile of wood in his hands. Sano was only carrying a few under each arm, which probably was the reason Yahiko seemed so irritable.

"Ah… Ah… AH-CHOO!" Sano sneezed onto the back of Yahiko's head. He sniffed.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Yahiko yelled, dropping his pile and beating Sano with one of the pieces of wood.

"Oro…" Kenshin mumbled, feeling suddenly nervous.

Kaoru entered from deeper into the house and frowned at the scene. "CUT IT OUT!"

They froze. Yahiko casually let go of the wood and let it nail Sano in the face.

"Ow," Sano mumbled.

"Mou! Can't you do something without screwing up or killing each other?"

"Well, maybe Kenshin should have gone with us!" Yahiko retorted.

"Maybe Kenshin had better things to do!" Kaoru yelled back.

"Yeah, like snoozing in the doorway," Sano said flatly.

"Oro…" Kenshin muttered. "Well, sessha was-"

"MOU! I can't count on any of you!" Kaoru shouted. "Come on, help me get this firewood into a pile."

Afraid of what she might do if they didn't, they made sure of it.

-

The snow was quickly piling up on the ground, already a few inches deep. Far out into the woods outside of Tokyo, there was a small cave with smoke erupting from its mouth. Someone inhabited this place.

A fire burned within this cave, but it wasn't a normal fire. This wasn't used for heat. This fire came out from a crack on the inside, and it burned blue.

A looming shadow flickered along the wall. A chanting in a language, that of which only demons and gods of death dare speak filled the cave. "Accept this item of revival?" The voice said in Japanese, then chanted again, tossing dirt into the fire. "Accept this item of the revived?" He held up a violet scarf, stained with blood and chanted more, tossing it in.

The fire grew and turned green. Two emotionless, red eyes watched it in half-interest as it grew to an outstanding height and dwindled back down again until it was no more. The crack in the earth had closed, and the fire disappeared. The smell of haku baikou began to fill the air.

-

Darkness had fallen upon Tokyo and all had gone to bed. Everyone slept peacefully except for one.

That wafting scent… those piercing, dark, solemn eyes… soft, pale skin… long, raven hair cascading downward… and the sickening, crimson color… of blood…

Kenshin's eyes snapped open, and he gasped, "Tomoe!" Perspiration dotted his forehead and face, and his fingers gripped his blankets with such a ferocity that his knuckles were white.

It had been so long… He hadn't dreamt about Tomoe's death in a very long time… It only used to come to remind him that she was gone, back when he would drop into denial. Never since then had it happened, and never since the actual event been so incredibly vivid. His heart still pounded in his chest, and he couldn't force his breath to calm down with his greatest might.

After a few minutes, he returned to normal, shutting his eyes and running his fingers through his bangs. He sighed. "Tomoe…Will I ever be able to move on?" He got up and padded barefoot across the floor in his night-robe. Slipping almost silently out of his room, he roamed down the halls, listening to the soft, muffled breathings of his housemates. Entering the main room, he slid open the door and looked out at the white snow, so bright against the night.

Memories flashed behind his deep, longing eyes, those he did not wish to see, and he hung his head in sorrow, running his right hand up and down his left cheek, the one forever marked with these nightmares that were lived.

"Sessha could almost smell the perfume again," He said, smiling sadly. "My darling, Tomoe… were you trying to tell me something?…"

He breathed in the scent of cold and snow, yet he could almost feel the warmth again… it faded as quickly as it came, and he had to shut the door to keep from freezing his thin body. Leaning against it, he stared downward at his feet. "This scent… will not leave me… why does sessha feel so cold…?" He slid down and hugged his knees, leaning his head into them. "It's like you're here, but you're not…"

-

Kaoru entered the room that morning and was frozen in her steps. That small, curled up thing near the door… that was her rurouni… He looked almost like a dead person would, but his skin still held color, and she could see his back heaving up and down slightly with his breath.

"Kenshin?" She whispered, taking a step towards him. What was he doing out here?

His eyes fluttered open, and he rose his head to stare sleepily at her. "K-Kaoru-dono…?"

"Kenshin, what are you… doing out here?" She asked, looking around the room for a sign of some mindless project he might have been working on.

"Sessha was just sitting and reminiscing," Kenshin responded rather forlornly. "I suppose sessha just fell asleep." He got up and placed his smile on his face. "I apologize. Allow me to get dressed, and I'll cook breakfast."

"No, that's not necessary-"

Kenshin chuckled slightly, passing her. "I suppose I'd better go to the market first. There's shopping to be done if we're going to have a good breakfast."

Something wasn't right about the way he spoke. It was as if he was trying to distract himself by talking and smiling. The words felt so empty and meaningless.

He disappeared down the hall, and she clutched her chest. What was wrong with her? She felt like her heart had been ripped out, seeing him so down like that… What could possibly be troubling him so? This man she adored… how could she fix his pain?

-

Kenshin had left to the market without much more than a goodbye to Kaoru. He still seemed deeply lost in his own thoughts, and she knew something was definitely going on in that mind of his.

"Sano! Yahiko! GET UP!" She yelled.

"What?" Yahiko moaned, dragging himself into the doorway. Sano himself looked rather angry.

"I need you guys to trail Kenshin for me!" She explained. "Something's wrong with him, and I think he'd notice me if I trailed him."

"Why don't you just ask him what's wrong?" Sano asked. "He trusts you, Jou-chan."

"I can't! I--- I'm afraid… please… if you do this for me, I'll do your chores for a week without complaint."

"DEAL!" They both cried with glee, rushing back into their rooms to dress.

Kaoru sighed. Why did she always have to bribe them to do something for her?

"Of course, if you don't find anything and end up not looking at all, the deal is off," Kaoru added as they headed out the door.

Yahiko and Sano pouted, but they threw their scarves on and left anyways. Sano was heard sniffling as the door was shut behind them.

"Please… find something…"

The faintest scent of Haku Baikou wafted through the streets of Tokyo.

-

The snow had stopped falling, but by now it was past their ankles. The day was bright, if not extremely chilly, and the lanes were filled with the laughter of playing children. It was the kind of thing that people couldn't help but smile about, even someone as sarcastic as Yahiko and tough as Sano.

Ayame and Suzume greeted them as they passed the doctor's office, showing them their snow angels. Megumi scolded Sanosuke for walking around in the snow bare-chested and gave him another white shirt to wear. Yahiko waved goodbye, and the two were on their way. It was a peaceful morning, the kind that led to the illusion that everything would be perfect, that nothing would go wrong…

Of course, illusions are what they are.

-

Movement stirred from the body before this man of fire. A toothy smirk came across his lips, those emotionless red eyes shining with malice.

Two black eyes fluttered open through the fringe of raven hair. Her bear chest heaved in its first breath. The man's eyes widened with glee. This was perfection. Everything about her was perfectly done. The only thing about her that was strange was the long blackness that traveled down her right shoulder on both sides. It was almost like rotted skin, and beneath it was nothing but an empty shell.

She raised her body, her long, dark strands of hair tumbling down her back. She looked around blankly for a few moments before meeting eyes with the man that was so happy to see her.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," He told her, tossing her the purple scarf, "Yukishirou Tomoe."

She stared at the man in shock for a moment as her hand dipped down onto the ground and scooped up a handful of dirt.

"Now, you can help me-" He began, but she tossed the dirt into his eyes, and he screamed out, rubbing them furiously.

Taking this as her cue, she got to her feet and stumbled along slightly, hardly able to walk. Only managing to snatch up a white yukata on her way out the mouth of the cave, she pulled around herself and held to it for dear life.

"WENCH!" The man's voice howled as he exited the cave, seeing her disappearing into the forest. "I'LL FIND YOU!"

She looked back around behind her as she ran, then continued on her way.


	2. The Empty Woman

Chapter 2: The Empty Woman

"It's way too cold out here," Yahiko commented as Sano trailed behind him. "Do you see Kenshin?"

"No… I think we lost him in the crowd… Damn it," Sano replied, arching his neck to try and find a spot of red in the masses. "I can't see him anywhere! We're gonna have to do our chores!"

"This sucks!" Yahiko yelled. "How does he disappear like that? I bet he could tell we were following him."

"Knowing Kenshin…" Sano shrugged. "Was that--- no, that wasn't him."

Two bare feet stepped through the snow, pale with a blue tint to them. Heavy breathing erupted from her lips, also turning blue. She stumbled along until she reached the road and began to take off running again. There was no feeling within her legs or body; she was merely an empty shell bounding through the street running from what she did not know. Something was wrong, she knew that, because she remembered… Yes… she remembered what happened to her…

Sano sighed in frustration. "Man… this is impossible. Walking around in the snow, following Kenshin, and freezing our tails off… it's all so pointless.

The crowd started looking in a certain direction, whispering to themselves. Sano, who was taller than most of the people there, could see what was happening.

"Oh, my God…" He whispered. "She's… wow…"

"Focus!" Yahiko yelled, but Sanosuke took hold of his shirt and lifted the boy into the air.

"Look at her, Yahiko. She's beautiful…"

"What is she running from?" Yahiko asked, blushing. His blush faded as his face became more serious. "Something's wrong, Sano. Look at her! She's running barefoot in the snow in nothing but a yukata. We gotta help her!"

"I'll help her!" Sano chimed.

"No, way! It was my idea!"

"Fine! We'll both help her!" Sano complained, dropping Yahiko on the ground and taking off after her. Yahiko stumbled along behind him, their previous mission forgotten.

Her feet did not stop, as if they were moving automatically by some sort of greater force. She did not know where she was or who she had woken up too, but just looking into the man's bleak, red eyes… she knew he was going to use her for some sort of evil. What could she do, she wondered?

"HEY!" A hand snatched her wrist, and she let out a noise that was halfway between a whimper and a scream. Turning her head slowly, expecting to meet those menacing red eyes, she was somewhat relieved to find a rather tall man with spiky brown hair staring at her.

"Hey, Miss! What're you doing out here in the snow like that?" The little boy behind the man asked.

That was right. It was snowing… yet she hadn't noticed. She could not… feel it… She stared at them blankly, as if they had spoken to her in another language.

"Do you think she speaks Japanese?" Sano whispered to Yahiko.

"Well, she looks Japanese," Yahiko whispered back. "Hold on, I'll try something."

She looked from one man to the other.

"My name is Myojin Yahiko. Do you speak Japanese?" He asked her slowly.

"Y… Yes…" She responded, shaking her head up and down.

"See, I told you she was Japanese," Yahiko told him. "She's probably just scared because you grabbed her so suddenly, Sanosuke."

Sano ignored Yahiko's aggravated tone. "So, missy, what are you doing out here all alone like this? A pretty girl like you shouldn't be walking around without a man's protection."

"I… I shouldn't be here…" She tried to pull her wrist away, but his grip was stronger than her weak attempts.

"We're just trying to help," Sano said kindly. "You're going to freeze to death out here like this. Come on. I know where you can go to get warm and safe. Do you have a boyfriend somewhere? A fiancé? A husband maybe?"

"Husband…" She whispered as a vision of a certain red-headed lover of hers entered her mind. The word fiancé also struck a cord with another lover from a more distant past… Both of the men who brought her happiness.

She burst into tears.

"SANO! What'd you DO!" Yahiko screamed.

"I didn't do anything!" He retorted. "She just started crying!"

She didn't know where the one living man could possibly be or even how to contact him. Surely it had been awhile since her… death…

"Please!" She took hold of Sanosuke's shirt. "What year is it?"

"1878," Yahiko answered for him.

Surely that had to have been a mistake… Fifteen years… since her end…

All of this was coming at her so fast, and her body didn't seem to know how to react. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she collapsed into Sanosuke's arms, unconscious.

"What'd you do, Yahiko?" Sano mocked, glaring at Yahiko.

Yahiko sneered back at him, then grew serious. "We'd better get her somewhere safe and warm before she dies."

Sano shifted her in his arms so that he could carry her with ease and sniffed the air. "Why does… this place smell like Haku Baikou?"

"She must wear perfume," Yahiko commented.

"Come on," Sano took off down the street. "If I just walk around with her this way, someone might think I'm some sort of pervert."

"You ARE a pervert!"

"AHH! That's besides the point!"

"You disgust me!"

-

"Himura-san…"

Kenshin lifted his head suddenly, as if ripped away from a dream. "What?"

Tsubame was looking at him shyly through the front door of Akabeko. "Himura-san…" She practically whispered. "You should come inside and get warm before heading back with those groceries… Tae-san says that your joints stiffen in the cold, and I don't want you to fall or anything, and-"

Kenshin just beamed at her. "Sessha will come in for a moment."

"O… okay…"

As he headed inside, he froze and looked out towards the street.

"What's the matter?" Tsubame asked.

"Nothing… I just thought I… smelled a flowery scent…"

"Flowers? No, Himura-san… Not in the snow…"

He entered, and she shut the door. "Himura-san, you seem troubled with something…"

"Sessha… is just not a big fan of the snow…"

Tsubame downcast her eyes, remembering a story he had once told them. It made perfect since, she supposed, but she wasn't about to say anything about it.

"It will probably be even colder tonight," Kenshin comment. "You should bundle up when you go to bed, Tsubame-chan."

She nodded nervously. "Would you like some lunch? It's on the house…"

Kenshin looked at her in surprise for a moment. "That would be lovely," He then said, beaming at her. "As long as you share it with me."

Tsubame blushed in embarrassment and nodded. "Okay…"

She didn't want him to think about the past and those horrible days in the snow. He wanted him to concentrate on the present. She would even try to carry out some sort of small talk with the older man, even if his interests were probably far from hers. Kenshin was kind. He would politely listen and voice his own opinion afterwards.

-

"Kaoru! Open the door, busu!" Yahiko yelled, running towards it with Sano behind.

She slid it open. "Did you find something out about Ken---" She trailed off at the sight of the woman in Sano's arms. "What… is going on…?"

"She was… running in the snow like this!" Yahiko told her, out of breath from the sprint. "When… we stopped her…"

"She fainted," Sano finished. "She's was acting a bit strange, like she didn't know where she was, and then she asked us what year it was."

"Please, Kaoru, she'll die out there in the snow. Come on, let's just bring her inside for a minute and get her some real clothes. Somebody might have tried to attack her, and we don't know if she might be hurt!"

Kaoru slowly took it in, and then nodded. "Well, fine, but if she tells me any differently than what you said, then it's your heads!"

They both gulped. "Yes, ma'am."

Sano brought her in, and Kaoru sent him to her room to lay her down.

Her body was already returning to the original color. Sano supposed she'd be fine… Of course, her grip on her yukata was pretty much proof of that. She wasn't going to let it loose, even in her absence of consciousness.

"Leave the room, please, Sano," Kaoru said. "I'll take care of her."

"Pssh, you'll kill her," Yahiko said from the doorway. Sano broke out into laughter.

A moment later, they were both bruised heaps on the floor outside the room.

"You just had to go and open your big mouth, idiot," Sano mumbled.

"You're the one who laughed…"

-

Kaoru leaned over the woman and stared at her for a few moments. _She's so… beautiful…Her skin is so fair… Her hair is so soft and dark…and that scent… I've never seen someone like her… but… for some reason… I feel an emptiness here…_

Kaoru reached to pull open the thin, wet garment she wore, when a hand snatched her wrist. The woman's eyes flew open.

"Who are you?" She asked in a panic.

"Ah…" Kaoru smiled sheepishly. "I'm Kamiya Kaoru… I run this place… my friends brought me to you after you fainted."

"What were you going to do?" She stammered, clutching more tightly to her kimono. Should anyone discover her…

"I was just going to get you into a dry kimono. One of mine… see?" She showed her violet kimono covered with a pink flower pattern and stripped obi.

"I can do it…" She whispered, lowering her eyes. "May I do it myself…?"

"Err… sure…" Kaoru replied, standing. Her face hurt from smiling. "If you need me, just call!"

Tomoe bowed. "Thank you… Kamiya-dono."

Kaoru left, lightly closing the door.

"How is she?" Sano and Yahiko asked at the same time, now off the floor.

"She woke up, and I think she'll be okay… She speaks so properly, like someone from high society, so I know she couldn't possibly be a woman of the streets."

"I don't know if she's mentally stable," Yahiko commented finally, as if getting something off his chest. "Her emotions swirl around out of control, and if she was a woman from high society, she would most definitely know better than to run out in the cold, in broad daylight no less, wearing nothing but a white yukata. Surely, she'd be smarter than that, right?"

"I agree with you, Yahiko, but there could be other reasons as to why," Kaoru said. "I don't think it'd be very polite to ask, would it?"

"Kamiya-dono…" A whisper said from the doorway behind them. Kaoru yelped and turned around, blushing furiously. Had she heard their conversation?

"Do you have something that I can use to put my hair up with?" She asked.

Yahiko and Sano traded glances as Kaoru laughed a bit nervously.

"Oh, of course," She said, entering the room and closing the door on the boys again.

"I'm starting to get a bad feeling," Sano commented.

"You're not the only one," Yahiko replied. "Maybe we shouldn't have helped her…"

"Nah. She's not a threat," Sano shook his head. "I just feel like… she might end up leading us to one… She's gorgeous, smart, most likely rich… she's a man's dream come true… yet… something about her isn't right… She's… eh… how do I say this?…" He scratched his head, trying to think of a word.

"Detached…" Yahiko finished.

"Yeah! That's it."

-

Kaoru pulled out her box of assorted hair accessories and held it out to Tomoe. "What do you need from here?"

Tomoe lifted a red tie from it, slowly, carefully… The color was bright and vibrant, not unlike the other ribbons and combs within the box. She looped her hair at the nape of her neck and tied it together, letting strands of it fall in front of her ears, against her snowy cheeks.

Kaoru couldn't help but stare at this woman. Her eyes were so dark that they looked as if there was not life in them. She did not smile, a thing that made her seem cold and distant. There was hardly color to her lips and cheeks. The violet kimono and obi she was wearing seemed too bright for this woman. Why did Kaoru feel so cold just now?… This woman seemed to be… almost… dead…

"Thank you," Tomoe said quietly.

"Err… you're welcome… Oh! I didn't catch your name!" Kaoru slapped her hands together and put on her brightest smile.

"Oh…" Tomoe replied. "I am…"

"Kaoru! Food's here!" Yahiko called through the door.

"Uh… excuse me," Kaoru bowed in apology and left.

Tomoe felt a wave cold air wash over her, but it was not on her outsides. No, this was inside of her. She could feel a presence… this presence… she knew.

-

"Kaoru-dono," Kenshin beamed at her, handing her the bucket of tofu and giving Sanosuke the fish. "I've bought some vegetables from Akabeko as well. Sessha knew that we will not be seeing some for awhile."

"Kenshin, you're so smart," Kaoru acclaimed.

"You flatter sessha…" Kenshin replied sheepishly, handing Yahiko the vegetables. The three left to put them away.

There was a sound of quiet footsteps in the hall. He could hear them. "K-Kaoru-dono…?" He called. "Do we have a visitor?"

The three seemed to exit in unison and reentered the room. "Oh, yes. Sanosuke and Yahiko found a girl out in town. She was nearly frozen to death, can you believe it?"

"In this weather, yes," Kenshin said, smiling. His smile faded as a familiar scent wafted through the air… this scent was too familiar.

"She doesn't talk much," Kaoru continued on, catching Kenshin's attention only partly.

"Kamiya-dono…" Her small voice asked.

Kenshin's head jerked in the direction immediately, and he physically paled; his usually calm eyes were now wild and stunned.

"Ah--- Kenshin?" Kaoru asked, suddenly afraid. He looked as if… he had seen a ghost. She turned to the doorway to see her new houseguest staring at him in the same way that he was staring at her. No one knew what was going on… until he spoke the name that none of them expected.

"To… **_TOMOE!_**"


	3. Tomoe and the Man

Chapter 3: Tomoe and the Man

The room had become as silent and freezing as the falling snow outside. Kenshin had paled substantially and looked ready to faint while the others weren't in a much better condition.

Tomoe stared at Kenshin as if he were some foreign object she had never seen before.

Finally, Yahiko was able to gain enough composure to say something. He directed it at the woman. "Tomoe! Your name is Tomoe?"

She looked at him for a moment, tried to form a word, but in the end had to nod instead.

"It's…" Kenshin said in a small voice, so wistful and full of wonder and confusion. "It's… This is impossible."

Everyone else was thinking the same thing.

"Are you some sort of imposter!" Sano threatened. Being the first one able to move more than a head, he stomped forward, waving a finger in her face.

"No…" She mumbled, eyes down-trodden.

"…but…" Kenshin choked, gulping down the blackness trying to set in and knock him out.

"You're… supposed to be…" Kaoru mumbled. Her heart felt like it was slamming against her ribcage at a hundred miles an hour.

"…dead…" Kenshin finished off, a crack in his voice that Kaoru had never heard before.

Tomoe wouldn't look them in the eyes. "I… I do not know… how… but…" She trailed off, unable to explain herself. No one could blame her. How could someone explain coming back from the dead after being gone for so long? She didn't even look like a corpse! If they passed her on the street, they never would have suspected that her demise had been carried out years ago.

It didn't make sense at all that Tomoe was walking among the living.

Kenshin shook his head to stir the fainting spell out of his body. "T-Tomoe… It's.. Impossible…" He repeated.

"Kenshin…" Tomoe spoke, her voice pouring with hurt as her eyes finally met with his again. Those dark eyes were brimming with tears. Were they tears of hurt? Tears of fear? Maybe they were a little of both.

Kenshin took a step forward, then stepped back again. Nobody present had ever seen him so unsure of himself.

Tomoe closed her long lashes over the dark orbs of her eyes, then opened them again, now wet with her tears. "I… I do not know… I do not know… what's going on… I am… afraid…!"

Kenshin moved forward in a haste but stopped half-way across the room. He looked around as if something in the room would help him get his bearings.

Tomoe took a step forward, hesitated, then started towards him. She looked horrified of touching him, as if he wouldn't accept her. It was a possibility that he didn't even believe she was there, that she was a figment of his imagination. He might have even thought that all of this repenting and fretting and worrying had driven him insane at last.

Her foot caught the floor the wrong way as she approached him, and her body fell forward suddenly. She yelped, believing she would fall, but she was consumed by a warm body in fuchsia fabric. She was on her knees, her head against his stomach when she looked up at him. He was looking back down at her and looked like he'd been working hard labor for hours.

Her hand unconsciously moved upwards, slowly but steadily, until it reached his left cheek and placed itself over the cross-shaped scar. "I am sorry… my darling…" She whispered.

It broke him, and he scooped her into his arms, dropping his head into the bend between her shoulder and neck. "TOMOE! My god…"

Kaoru stared at the scene before her and let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding, then sucked it back in before the staleness had left it. A whimper was caught in her throat, and she wasn't positive why… Yes… she was. Her chances with Kenshin, how ever slim they already were, had just flown out the window.

She turned and stepped out slowly, not wanting to see this scene. She couldn't bare to see Tomoe's lips meet with Kenshin's.

Sano had not seen her leave, but Yahiko had, and he followed her silently with his pick-pocketing stealth.

She stepped into her shoes and walked right out the front door. Yahiko grabbed his scarf and hers and followed after.

Her feet picked up speed as she walked faster and faster and faster. It wasn't long until she broke into a run, and Yahiko had to do all he could to keep up with her, even with her kimono binding her legs.

She reached the edge of the woods and screamed, punching the closest tree.

Yahiko kept his distance for a moment, somewhat afraid that this rage would be taken out on his poor little, fragile, ten-year-old form. After she didn't do anything else but shiver, holding her hand, he figured he was safe, and when she let out a sob, he knew that she needed someone.

"K… Kaoru…?" He mumbled hesitantly, approaching her while clutching her scarf to his chest. The wind was biting.

She glanced at him over her shoulder and collapsed to her knees in the snow. "YAHIKO!"

He went to her and put her scarf around her neck. "Kaoru, get a hold of yourself…" He said it calmly, as to not set her off.

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON!" She shouted, hugging him. "It doesn't make any sense… It's not fair!"

Yahiko felt like crying too, but he was much too tough for that. He needed to be a man right now for their was a girl who was like his family looking for comfort.

"Now, now. Calm down. I know it's confusing, but you need to get a hold of yourself. It's too cold out here to just stand here and cry. Come on, let's go back inside and work this out."

"No!" She said more loudly than she intended.

Yahiko sighed. "Well, then let's go into the town and see if we can find some information. Maybe Tae-san and Tsubame know something."

Kaoru nodded but didn't make an attempt to move.

"Come on, now," Yahiko coaxed, grabbing her wrists and pulling her to her feet. "You'll ruin your kimono."

She stumbled along for a few seconds before following him towards the town. Yahiko couldn't help but notice the redness in the hand she used to punch the tree. "We'll go see Megumi about your hand after checking up at Akabeko."

-

"Damn it all," A man slurred from his seat at Akabeko, taking another swig from the cup of sake on the table. He'd brought a bottle himself, but he hadn't touched it.

This man had sable hair, a messy mop upon his head. His chin was covered with small hairs, not shaven in at least a day. His gray kimono was tied together with a red belt and seemed much too light for the weather.

"Hey, girl," He garbled, referring to Tsubame who was serving the table across from his. "GIRL!"

"Um… yes?" She asked timidly, turning to face him.

"Get me more 'a this," He told her, shaking the empty sake bottle at her.

"Um, I think you've had enough…"

"Do it."

She reached out for his bottle.

"Not mine! Get one of yours!" He shouted blearily.

"Yes, sir!" She yelped, rushing off. Why did he scare her so badly? Maybe it had something to do with those lifeless, red eyes.

Yahiko entered Akabeko with Kaoru trailing him quietly. The restaurant was full of people chatting and eating, most likely to get away from the cold. Kaoru herself was shivering a bit though Yahiko felt all right for the moment.

"Where do you think they are?" Kaoru asked, looking around.

"It's really crowded, so it might take a few minutes. You wait here. I'll find them."

He left before she had the chance to object. She pouted. "I don't want to wait here," She mumbled, leaning against a post next to a nearby table. There was a man sitting at this table who looked to have had his fair share of sake. He was swaying slightly and mumbling to himself, eyes closed.

She looked out idly at the other people when a snatch at her wrist made her shout.

"You have a scent on you that I know," The man whispered into her ear, a strange calm to his voice. Somehow he had stood and gotten behind her and was now holding onto her wrist so tightly that she thought her hand was going to fall off. "That smell."

"Let go! Leave me alone!" Kaoru cried, trying to jerk herself free.

"I know that scent! That's the smell I'm looking for! STOP MOVING!" With his other hand he took hold of her head and slammed it into the post. Her body twitched slightly before loosening up. She didn't move. She wasn't unconscious, but the shock left her stunned.

"Tell me where she is," He growled in her ear.

"I don't know what you're talking about…" She choked, feeling the heat of the blood trickling down the side of her face. This man was drunk, wasn't he?

"Kaoru!" Yahiko shouted.

She turned her head just in time to see Yahiko slam his shinai into the back of the man's head, forcing him to let go. She backed away, holding her wrist that was pink where he'd held her tightly.

"Are you all right?" Tae-san asked, taking Kaoru's face in her hands. Kaoru nodded slowly.

"It's not as bad as it looks," She told her.

"You jerk! What do you think you're doing!" Yahiko yelled.

The man hiccupped and started to stumble out the door.

"Hey! I'm not through with you!" Yahiko screamed, chasing after him.

"I dun' waste m' time with little brats," The man slurred, stepping out into the street.

"You don't know what I'm capable of!" Yahiko said, whacking him across the back. "Turn around and face me like a man! How dare you hurt Kaoru like that!"

"So, Kaoru's her name, eh?" The man looked over his shoulder, then turned his body to face Yahiko. "I was just asking Kaoru some questions."

"You hurt her!" Yahiko held out his shinai in defense. "For that I will show no mercy."

"Ooh, I'm shaking in my sandals," The man replied unenthusiastically.

"You're just lucky Kenshin wasn't here to-"

"Kenshin!" He shouted, eyes wide.

Yahiko finally noticed the redness of those eyes and gulped.

"I see…" The man smirked. "I wasn't going to do anything, but since you're a friend of Kenshin, I'll make an exception."

"You know Kenshin?" Yahiko asked, looking deep into the man's eyes.

"Yes… You could say that we met… in Hell…"

Suddenly, they were encircled with flames underneath a blood red sky where the clouds appeared black. The ground was bare and painful to the feet. The man brought back his hand, his nails elongating greatly.

"What's going on!" Yahiko screamed, trying to block his hand with his weapon. It sliced right through it and slashed open the front of his shirt. Yahiko staggered backwards, but the man brought forth his other hand and smacked him across the face with his sake bottle. Yahiko fell to the ground and felt searing pain enter his back. He reached out for his broken weapon, his only source of protection, when the claws became even longer, and the man stabbed him through.

Kaoru, Tae-san, and Tsubame were all running out to find Yahiko just standing in the snow, staring up at the man who was staring down at him. Seconds ago, Yahiko had been shouting, and now he'd gone quiet. It was strange.

The man turned and wandered away. Yahiko vomited a bit of blood before collapsing into the snow.

"YAHIKO!" Kaoru screeched, mortified.


	4. The Search is On

Chapter 4: The Search is On

Something was definitely wrong, Kenshin knew, with this situation. People who had died could never walk among the living the way his first love was now doing… Yet… no matter how hard he tried not to be, he was drawn to her like a magnet. Even though things that seemed too good to be true usually were, this seemed to of actually happened. He could feel her, see her, hear her voice… It was maddening.

Yukishirou Tomoe was alive.

What else would become of this event, he wondered.

-

Despite her own injuries, Kaoru scooped Yahiko into her arms and sprinted to Megumi's clinic, ignoring her own pain. "Megumi!" She screamed, her voice sounding more raspy and frantic than she remembered it ever being.

Megumi exited her room and gasped as Kaoru fell to her knees and Yahiko tumbled out of her arms onto the floor.

"What happened?" Megumi asked, lifting Yahiko and rushing him back to her room. The only other patient was leaving and seemed to have paused to be a spectator of the situation.

"I don't know…" Kaoru choked. "It's too much… Too much… Everything is…"

"Come on," Megumi told her, helping her to her feet and leading her into the room where Yahiko was so she too could be treated. "Tell me everything."

-

Dr. Gensai was touching up the spot on Kaoru's head as Megumi checked Yahiko over for any abrasions of the skin or something else that could be used to validate anything that was wrong.

"So, Kaoru, start from the beginning. Tell me what's going on."

"K-Kenshin… It's… ah…" She couldn't figure out how to word it in a way that wouldn't freak Megumi out.

"What about Ken-san? Does he need assistance too?" Megumi asked fearfully.

"KENSHIN'S WIFE IS BACK FROM THE DEAD!" Kaoru shouted, feeling a tremendous wait come off of her shoulders.

"What?" Gensai and Megumi both looked taken aback by this.

"Tomoe… She's back… She's alive… She's at my dojo…"

"That doesn't explain your injuries though," Gensai said tenderly, touching her face with his wrinkled hand.

"Partly it does," Megumi said, not completely believing her. Kaoru couldn't say that she blamed her.

"I was upset…" Kaoru continued, sounding embarrassed at what she had done. "I went outside and I punched a tree… That's why my hand is hurt… Yahiko followed me, and he took me into the town because I didn't want to go back to see… the living dead…"

Gensai was bandaging her hand and nodded for her to continue.

"We went into Akabeko to see if Tae or Tsubame saw something to help explain Tomoe's reappearance… I was told by Yahiko to wait for him while he went to find her… and this drunken man who was sitting nearby grabbed me and started telling me to tell him something… I don't really remember now… but when I tried to get away from him, he slammed my head into a post…"

Megumi was furious about this while Gensai just looked stunned.

"Yahiko went after him with his shinai," Kaoru pointed to it lying against the wall. "The man went outside, and Yahiko went after him, and they stared each other down for a few seconds… Then Yahiko coughed up blood and fell into the snow… The man disappeared in the crowd, but I know what he looks like."

"So, he didn't attack Yahiko at all," Megumi stated. "I would suppose that somehow he triggered something in his mind, do you think?"

"Like an illusion or something? Is that possible?" Kaoru asked.

"If he is skilled with hypnotism, than I guess it could be," Megumi deduced.

"Either way, we need to find him and have him arrested!" Kaoru said angrily.

"Yes, he assaulted you and Yahiko in a way. Give me a description, and I will take it to the police station personally," Megumi replied.

-

"I just… I don't understand it… You're real. You're alive, here, now!" Kenshin stammered, staring at the woman sitting across from him as if she would disappear. Sano had never left Kenshin's side and glared down the woman as if she would attack them.

"That's why it doesn't make sense. You should have some kind of CLUE about how you're back, right?" Sano inquired in an all but friendly voice.

Tomoe looked down at her white hands folded in her lap. "I do not know… I woke up as if I had just been in a long sleep."

"Was there anyone present when you awoke?" Kenshin asked in a much more tender voice than Sano's.

Tomoe was silent, going over it in her mind. "Yes… It was a man… He had these ghastly eyes in the color of blood. His voice spoke no words of hatred at first, but the very sound of it frightened me. I did not know what he would use me for… I… I was afraid, so I ran away… He was shouting evil things at me as I ran and threatened that he would… find… me…"

"Maybe this man is some sort of witch doctor or something," Kenshin suggested, looking to Sano for approval.

"Maybe this woman is in ties with him and it's all a part of their plan," San responded bitterly.

"-but… I…" Tomoe began, then looked down and silenced. "I really do not know anything… I really do not…"

Sano slammed his fist down on the table. "YOU REALLY EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE YOU!"

She gasped in fear, leaning away from him slightly.

"How can you possibly think that I'm going to sit here and listen to you claim that you've just up and come back from the dead! Kenshin, you can't honestly tell me that you believe this!"

Kenshin looked at Tomoe, then at Sano, then sighed, looking down at his hands. "Sessha can't say he believes it, but not because sessha believes she is lying to him…"

Sano took Kenshin's shirt within his fists and lifted him up to his face. "Don't be an idiot, Kenshin! You of all people should know that people can rise from the dead! You're the more rational of the two of us so start acting like it, c'mon! Don't be taken in by this!"

"Let go of me, Sano," Kenshin said calmly, looking rather surprised by his sudden outburst.

"NO! You aren't going to listen to me unless I make you! Normally I know I'm not the smart one, but because of who she is or who she's _pretending_ to be, your senses have completely numbed! Try and think clearly for one second and tell me that you don't believe her!"

"Sano-"

"TELL ME THAT YOU DON'T BELIEVE HER!" Sano shook him fiercely and then threw him against the wall.

Tomoe screamed and got to her feet. "STOP, PLEASE!" She stood in his way to prevent him from attacking Kenshin any further, something he wasn't planning to do.

"Kenshin!" Sano shouted. "I beg of you to tell me that you don't believe any of this!"

Kenshin got to his feet slowly. "Sano…"

"Please," Tomoe's eyes filled with tears. "I am not out to do anything, I promise. Just leave Kenshin alone…"

Kenshin's hand placed itself upon Tomoe's shoulder. "I can take care of myself, Tomoe."

Tomoe nodded slowly. "Yes, I know that, but this man is supposed to be your friend…"

"He is," Kenshin said. "We're all just a bit confused right now…"

"I'm not confused," Sano retorted. "I'm pissed as hell." He marched away out the door. "I'm going to go find Kaoru and Yahiko, you bastard."

Kenshin ran his hands through his hair and sighed in frustration. "I don't know what to do!"

"Kenshin…" Tomoe whispered, beginning to approach him.

"No…" He shook his head. "I… I need some time to myself…" He sank down in the corner and buried his head against his knees. The frustration he felt was practically emanating off of him.

Tomoe knelt down next to him and leaned her lips into the top of his head, leaving a light kiss upon it. "I… will go and see if I can discover more about my existence… I am so sorry… to have made things so difficult for you, my darling…"

Kenshin didn't move or respond.

-

Saitou hated the winter. It was always too cold. Nobody did anything but stay inside. That meant that he was stuck in his office, smoking packs of cigarettes and being bored out of his mind. He rocked backwards in his wooden chair and stared at the ceiling. There was no excitement. He yearned for the fight and considered picking a fight with the Battousai, but the idiot rurouni was figuring out how to talk his way out of battle. He'd rather not sit through one of his hero speeches.

Suddenly, a light tapping on his door drew his attention away from the trail of smoke traveling towards his ceiling.

"What," He stated irritably. He wasn't in the mood to file paperwork.

Surprisingly, the one who entered was that doctor friend of Himura's… what was her name… Takani Megumi.

"What do you want?" He asked in a rather condescending way.

"Kamiya Kaoru and Myojin Yahiko were assaulted today at the Akabeko."

Saitou's amber eyes glittered excitedly, and a wolfish grin that only he wore spread across his face. This was the kind of excitement he had been thirsting for.

"Really now?" He asked, his tone changing to an interested one. "Do tell."

"A man attacked Kaoru physically while he somehow attacked Yahiko mentally," Megumi explained. "I suspect he might know how to create illusions."

"So we're talking about some sort of magician…" Saitou replied blandly. So much for a battle.

"He attacked Kaoru physically," Megumi repeated as dryly as he did.

"A bad-ass magician, then."

Megumi narrowed her eyes at him, but Saitou was far from affected. He'd learn to deal with such looks in his years of being wed.

"I want him off the streets before he hurts anyone else," Megumi spoke almost through gritted teeth.

Saitou smirked. The fox was a skilled creature indeed, but it could not win when cornered by a wolf.

"Sounds like he's out to piss Himura off."

Megumi slammed her fist onto his desk. He didn't even flinch. "You are the police! It's your job to take care of everyone in this city whether you like them or not! Get this monster off of the streets!"

Saitou's eyes danced with pleasure. Oh, how he loved screwing with people!

"What does he look like?"

"Well, Kaoru told me that he was tall and thin with messy black hair and a white kimono."

Saitou sighed in exasperation. "You do realize that's a needle in a haystack. Get into a little more detail, please."

"Um…" Megumi tried to remember. "Oh, yes… Kaoru said that he looked a bit unshaven… he was carrying a sake bottle… and his eyes were red."

"Drinking does that too you," Saitou shrugged.

"No, they were red. As in… they were the color red naturally."

"Well, that…" Saitou said, taking his cigarette out of his mouth and blowing smoke. "That is a detail that I can use."

Megumi looked relieved that Saitou had finally ceased messing with her. "So, you'll find him?"

"I'll look for him," Saitou shrugged. "Hell knows that I've got nothing better to do. Now, leave."

She bowed and walked out, muttering thanks.

Saitou placed his cigarette back into his mouth and pondered on the subject for a moment. "Maybe this magician can provide some entertainment to this dull town."

Megumi paused just before exiting the building. "Should I have told him… about what Kaoru said…? Tomoe… coming back from the dead…?" She honestly couldn't know since her belief was still slim and none.

Tomoe was passing her at that very moment.


	5. Anger, Confusion, Pain

Chapter 5: Anger, Confusion, Pain

Kaoru sat in a chair next to Yahiko's bed, leaning against the mattress and stroking his hair gently. He seemed to be at peace now, but she was still concerned that he hadn't woken up. She wanted to go find Kenshin and have him comfort her or at least tell her what to do about Yahiko, but she was afraid to leave the child alone.

_That man… That man…_ She thought, her mind traveling back to the scene that seemed to have happened months ago, though it had only been an hour or so.

He was horrifying. His hand against her face and wrist were cold and clammy. Something in the touch was lifeless, empty… It made her shudder at the thought. Those eyes against the back of her neck made her feel like she was burning, and his voice made her think of a snake's hiss when he whispered. He couldn't possibly be a man, could he? He was so frightening!

She took Yahiko's hand with her free one, mainly to calm herself down. This man had to be some kind of beast… What was the extent of his abilities? She longed for Yahiko to awaken so that she could find out what happened and if he was all right.

She shifted her weight in her chair and sighed. The silent air was uncomfortable.

Yahiko mumbled slightly in his sleep and moved a bit. Even in unconsciousness, he could feel it too.

She moaned in frustration. "Please Yahiko… wake up… please…"

-

Sano was still angry. He marched through the snow with his hands in his pockets, cursing everything under his breath. He'd never gotten so angry at one of his friends before.

He sighed, watching a puff of cold smoke emanate where it landed. "Man… all of this is so…" He wished he had something to punch.

Sano trailed off the path and found a spot under a tree where not a particular lot of snow lay. He plopped down on it and just stared at his feet menacingly. "I don't believe it. Not for a second. People can't come back from the dead. She's an imposter, I know it. She has to be… How could Kenshin be fooled this way?"

The branch above him shivered, and a clump of snow tumbled onto his head. "Ahhh…" Sano growled. "SHIT!"

People looked up, hearing the echoing profanity.

-

Yahiko's eyes flew open. He kept completely silent, staring around the room with a look of shock and relief upon his face. His head rolled in a robotic, jerky movement toward the side of the bed where Kaoru's head rest. A light snoring was rising from her.

"Kaoru…" He whispered, his voice scratchy. "Kaoru!"

She twitched slightly and wiggled her shoulders a bit before fluttering open her big blue eyes. "Wh…what?"

"Kaoru!" He cried, realizing that he was indeed alive and far away from that horrible place.

"YAHIKO!" She exclaimed, taking him in her arms and hugging him tightly. "Oh, Yahiko, I was so worried!"

"Kaoru! That man, he… he killed me!" Yahiko sobbed into her shoulder, shaking. "He stabbed me through in a ring of fire!"

Kaoru's eyes widened at the statement. "What are you talking about?"

Yahiko sniffled, pulling away. "It hurt really bad… I still see it so clearly in my mind. I can feel the searing pain in my back… I can imagine his sharp clawed hand penetrating my chest…" He looked incredibly pale, his eyes wide, sweat upon his brow.

"It was an illusion," Kaoru took him back into her arms and stroked his hair. "It wasn't real…" Her eyes met at the edge of his shirt to a bit of his exposed back. It was a light pink in color as if it had laid against something hot. _Or at least… I hope it wasn't real…_She clutched him more tightly. "It's all right… You're safe here with me…"

He calmed down in her arms and sighed. "I was afraid…"

"I would have been too…" She assured him. The boy was usually so stubborn. He would never admit fear unless it was a truly traumatizing situation. She prayed that he would be okay.

"We need to get out of here," Yahiko whispered into her shoulder. "He'll come back for us…"

"Don't be silly, Yahiko," Kaoru replied nervously. Her voice shook slightly. The thought of it as even a possibility… "He was just a raging drunk."

"No…" Yahiko buried his face deeper into her shoulder so that all she could see was the top of his head. "He's a monster. A real… monster. He's a demon from the darkest pits of Hell."

"Don't talk like that!" Kaoru squeaked, speaking more loudly than she intended.

Yahiko was silent, shivering in her arms. "The pain… it just won't leave me alone."

-

Saitou moved through the snowy streets, passing civilians without so much as a glance. They were just the same old, boring faces in the crowds that he saw every day. What interest were they to him? The man he was looking for could be spotted out of a crowd by the wolf's cunning eyes. The color red was one he had seen many times, and he knew how it stood out in the snow.

His eyes did catch a bit of red suddenly out of the corner of his eye, but it wasn't what he was looking for. It was the bandana of that idiot rooster, Sanosuke, walking back towards the path.

"It's too cold for chickens to be out of their coop, isn't it?" Saitou asked, smirking.

Sano glared at him and walked next to him for a few moments. "Hey, you know a lot of stuff because of your career, right?"

"Compared to you, I know ions."

"Yeah, whatever," Sano responded flatly before continuing. "Can… can people be brought back from the dead?"

"If people could be brought back from the dead, I would have had the entire Shinsengumi on the government's doorstep," Saitou replied. "Why would you ask me such a dumb ass question-- Oh, that's right."

Sano narrowed his eyes. This couldn't possibly be his only source of information. "-but… Kenshin's wife, Tomoe… she's alive!"

"Who the hell is-"

"Kenshin's wife! I already told you! Kenshin accidentally killed her a long time ago, and that's why he decided to stop killing all together, but now she's back from the dead."

"Now that you mention it, I believe I did once see him with a woman back in the Bakumatsu. Very pale… Smelled like flowers."

"Yeah, haku baikou actually," Sano explained. "Either way, she's supposed to be dead, and she's not so… I think she's an imposter, but she's put on a really good act."

"Oh, heaven forbid somebody fool someone as cunning as you," Saitou said sarcastically.

"Gods, I hate you," Sano mumbled. "Be serious with me for a minute! Kenshin is completely fooled! If she could fool him, maybe she's not fooling at all! She really could be the real thing and it's driving me nuts!"

Saitou fished a cigarette out of his jacket and put it in his mouth, lighting it and tossing the match into the snow. He held it in his hand and blew out smoke before replacing it to his lips. He seemed to be in deep thought.

"Did you know that the little brat and the little wench you hang out with were attacked today?"

"Yahiko and Jou-chan?" Sano questioned. "They can handle themselves."

"The man got away without a scratch while your little girl suffered from a bleeding head, and the little boy was unconscious after coughing up blood… or at least that's what I've heard from witnesses."

Sano's eyes widened. "Oh, man, are they okay!"

"How the hell should I know?" Saitou asked, shrugging. He blew more smoke into the air.

"I would think it'd be smart to ask them if you're investigating what happened to them, right?" Sano asked.

Saitou stared at him for a moment. Damn, did he hate it when the rooster had a revelation and was right. "Then I guess we'll just have to go there together."

Sano grinned. He loved being right and making Saitou get that disgruntled look on his face. "See, I knew I was right!" He bragged.

Saitou wandered ahead, showing Sanosuke his middle finger.

-

Tomoe didn't particularly enjoy the looks and catcalls she was getting from the men, but one with beauty such as hers would usually get used to it. She figured that she had wandered into the slums of Edo, or Tokyo actually, since the buildings were small and run-down. She knew that the first thing she had to do was find that man. He could tell her about all of this… Her heart leapt in her chest at the thought of him. He frightened her so badly…

Kenshin was alive… and he still carried a sword… She wondered if he was still slaying men… He didn't seem quite the same as he was. There was a different aura around him, and he no longer smelled of blood. He smelled of fire soot and laundry soap. Those amethyst eyes were brighter, kinder, and gentler… and he smiled.

She closed her eyes and sighed. This wasn't right. She couldn't just wander around like this as if the sword had never touched her. Her life was jeopardizing everything her dearest had worked to accomplish. He was at peace with himself until she returned. Her heart ached at the thought that she was causing him anguish once again.

Her eyes spotted a part of the woods peeking from behind some familiar looking, abandoned buildings. There were bare feet prints exiting the area, and the foliage barren of leaves looked somewhat messed up. This was where she had run.

Her blood ran cold at the thought of going back through. She knew she needed to find that man, but should she find him, she was terrified of what he would do. She watched the spot, trying to decide what to do, to at least gather the courage to go forward. She wondered if she should go get Kenshin to protect her… No… The last person he wanted to see right now was her…

She hung her head. "What to do… What to do…"

-

It had been a long time since he had dreamed of one certain killing in such detail.

It was 1863, winter time. He had only begun his job as a hitokiri at the tender age of fourteen. He had been sent to kill a man who had been pretending to be on the side of the Imperialist and built up his rank quite high, only to be discovered that he'd been using the money he acquired on helping along their enemies. Katsura had suggested they let Kenshin go and practice his skill as to keep him from being rusty.

For some reason, Kenshin had felt incredibly guilty when he entered their home. They were sharing a meal, the target, his wife, and his little son.

"Please excuse the intrusion," He had told the man's wife. "I am sorry," He turned to his target, "but I am here to end your life."

The man drew his swords and they began to battle it out. Kenshin could remember the sound of the blades crashing against each other as they stumbled outside through the rice-paper wall that had fallen in the process of their bout. He could see the look in the man's eyes, not one of determination, but one of desperation to live and match the reputation his family had of him. He could hear his wife's screaming, the boy just watching from behind her with a look of stunned silence.

That boy… he looked a lot like his father… Scruffy black hair, eyes dark as pools of the deepest water…

"NO!" He remembered the man's wife scream as she stumbled out in front of her husband to protect him.

The blade slashed them both.

He remembered their shouts as their blood spattered across their porch, walls, and their only son.

How naïve Kenshin had been back then, to not realize the pain they were going through when he arrived.

The boy stared at the bodies of his parents, and his eyes rolled up to meet Kenshin's. No emotion came from either of them.

The boy twitched slightly.

Kenshin turned away and headed out. When he reached the edge of the village, he smelled smoke, and turning back to see, he found that the house he had left was now lighting up the night sky with fire.

The yellow, orange, and blood red flames licked the darkness with great intensity. A scream echoed over the horizon, one of pain and suffering, loss, confusion, and so many emotions that they were indefinable.

Kenshin's eyes flew open. Raising his head, he popped his neck to find himself in the same place he had been when Tomoe had left. Tomoe…

He stood, hearing his back make cracking noises and leaned against the wall. Why was he trembling? Why was he sweating? Why did that scream ring into his ears long after he had awoken?

In a cave outside of Tokyo, two red eyes rose from a pair of arms and looked into the fire. The yellow, orange, and blood red flames licked the darkness with great intensity.

(A/N: I really enjoy writing Saitou's character, especially when he's interacting with Sanosuke. It's a lot of fun, and I can experiment with insults. Ha ha, the plot thickens a bit, ne? I bet you all know who the little boy was too. Well, see you in chapter 6!)


	6. LetDown

Chapter 6: Let-Down

Megumi returned to the clinic looking a bit livid, but otherwise all right. Any feeling of annoyance she might have had towards Saitou vanished at the sight of Yahiko who was now sitting in a chair while Kaoru ran a comb through his hair. He didn't really need his hair to be brushed, but he needed a distraction, and she needed something to do with her hands.

"Oh, thank goodness you're both all right now," Megumi sighed, leaning against the doorframe.

Kaoru looked up and nodded, but she did not smile. "We're intact."

"Physically…" Yahiko added in quietly.

"Err…" Megumi felt the air was getting heavier. "Yahiko! Do you want me to go pick you up something to eat? I could make some ohagi if you're not just starving."

"Some lunch would… be nice…" He told her. He didn't sound like himself. This boy was much more timid, more lost, more afraid.

"Ah…" Megumi nodded. "I'll go to Akabeko on the double to get some."

"No," Kaoru put the brush down and stepped forward. "I'll do it. You stay here with Yahiko." She looked into Megumi's eyes in a way that said that the fox doctor needed desperately to talk with the child and try to help him.

"Well, if you insist, tanuki-girl!" Megumi laughed, but it didn't have near the enthusiasm it usually did.

Kaoru made her exit, and Megumi closed the door on the two of them. "Yahiko…" Megumi began.

"It was all an illusion… It was an illusion of Hell. There was fire, and the ground burned my skin… the man's claws slashed through my shinai with ease of a hot knife through butter… It was an illusion… of my death… a horrifying death… but…"

"…but what…?" Megumi asked, paling.

"It was so real!" He broke into tears again. "I could feel the pain! I could smell the smoke! I could see the dancing fire reflecting in his eyes!"

Megumi stepped forward. "-but it wasn't real. All of it was an illusion, like you said."

"I don't know… I didn't show busu this because I didn't want her to worry anymore than she already is…" He ripped open the front of his shirt. Five darkened dents lay along the front of his chest, and the skin around the edge of his shoulders and neck were tinted a more pinkish tone as if he'd leaned up against a hot stove. "How can this happen in my mind?"

-

Kaoru had forgotten how cold it was outside, growing so used to the warm clinic. It hit her hard when she opened the door and made her gasp. She shivered a bit, then stepped out onto the street.

For a while she stood there, staring into the crowds of people, all blissfully unaware of all that had been going on. The deceased were walking among the living, and there was a violent man out there putting children in the illusions of Hell.

She frowned. Had it only been a few hours since things were normal? It felt like it had been days, weeks, months…

-

Kenshin scrambled to his feet and walked out into the snowy yard. His heart felt as if it was beating against his ribs. He was lightheaded, and his breath was still heavy. "It's too much…" He muttered, walking out of the gate and onto the street. "This is too much…" It felt like someone was stabbing him with needles behind his eyes, his head ached so badly.

He felt like something was wrong. It gnawed at him like a hungry dog on a piece of meat. That dream might have had something to do with it, he decided. He had to find everyone, anyone, and make sure they were safe. Something horrible usually happened after a nightmare like that.

He felt his feet pick up into a run. Faster and faster he went though his head was swimming. Oh, the terrible things that could have happened!

He kept going, unable to stop. Yahiko, Sano, Megumi… Kaoru and Tomoe…

BAM!

Kenshin stumbled back, sputtering out apologies. It was the first time in awhile that he had stopped paying attention.

"Kenshin…" The voice made him pause in mid-apology. He finally looked at the person he bumped into to discover…

"Kaoru-dono!" He exclaimed, bewildered and relieved.

After a small smile spread across her face, she caught herself and frowned again. "What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be back at home trying to figure out why your wife is alive?" She sounded more bitter than she had intended to

"Sessha does not know where she is. She left awhile ago-"

"Oh, I see, so you're out looking for her. I get it!" Kaoru didn't mean to shout, but the anger and confusion she had felt all day had decided to take itself out on the poor rurouni.

"No!" Kenshin cried, unsure of what to do, of what to say. "I wasn't-- I was looking for everyone!"

"Yeah, of course you were! You didn't even know that I had left!" Her eyes started to brim with tears, and she hated herself for it. "You didn't even care that I was gone because you were so wrapped up in your lover's arms! You didn't even come to look for me! You weren't there to protect me when I needed you, when Yahiko needed you, and now I'm hurt, and I have no idea of what to do about him! He might be scarred for life, and YOU WEREN'T THERE!"

People silenced at the sight before them. The man they all admired, the man who had saved them several times over, was standing with his head tilted slightly, a red mark upon his scarred cheek.

Kaoru couldn't believe what she had done. Her body acted against her will. It was all in a fit of rage, and she wanted so very badly to apologize… but the words wouldn't come out.

Kenshin straightened up as if she hadn't hit him at all, adjusting his shirt so it hung more correctly upon his bony shoulders. He did not open his eyes though, and she could imagine they were full of hurt. "Sessha was looking for everyone…" He continued. "He worried that they were in danger… He is sorry… to have angered you…" Those eyes opened to reveal what she had suspected… pain… anguish… "I did not know anything. It's just too much… I am so lost now that I cannot think clearly."

"Ken…" She began. "Kenshin… I… I'm so-"

He raised his hand. "No… There is no need for you to be sorry, Kaoru-dono… I am the one at fault, and I deserved my punishment…"

"No," Kaoru tried. "I-"

Kenshin shook his head, plastering on his empty smile. "Please… don't fret. Tell me what's been going on while I've been so foolishly distracted, hmm?"

She slowly nodded. She felt like such a horrible person! "There was a man at Akabeko who attacked us. Yahiko's been mentally disturbed by an illusion of Hell that he created." She wondered if maybe she should have said it with more fear in her voice. It seemed like it was such an empty sentence.

"What?" Kenshin asked, horrified. "Where is he now!"

"I…I don't know… Megumi's got the police taking care of it," She replied. "Why?"

"Why!" He took her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "He hurt you and Yahiko, that's why! Sessha wants to find him and stop him from hurting anyone else!"

"I don't know where he is, and I don't want to know. Just forget it."

Kenshin just stared at her, unable to say anything. His eyes were large with pain. "…It doesn't matter… I suppose…" He wrapped his arms around her. "As long as you're safe…"

Kaoru shoved him away and went around him. "I'm going to Akabeko to get Yahiko some food."

"I'll assist you…" Kenshin began.

"I'm fine on my own."

He hung his head. "All right…"

-

"I was hoping you'd come, Tomoe," The voice echoed from the cave.

Tomoe looked toward the mouth, horrified. "I came here to get answers," She stammered, trying to stay strong.

"Answers can only bring more questions," He said, his shadow dancing on the wall by the flickering light of the fire, "but if you must, ask away."

"How did you bring me back to life?" She asked sternly, fists clenching. "Why?"

"I brought you back to life with the use of my powers which I couldn't even begin to explain in words a simpleton like you could understand. I brought you back to use as the source of my ultimate revenge."

"Revenge?" Tomoe asked.

"I told you that answers bring more questions."

"Who are you!" She shouted.

"I go by the name of Itami Hitan," He told her, "but it really doesn't matter."

"Why would you bring me back to seek out your revenge? I can do nothing."

"Oh… but you can do everything, dear," He replied, chuckling. "You have no idea."

"Who do you want revenge on?"

"Do you honestly have to ask?" He scoffed. "You're even dumber than I thought. So tell me, what happened when Battousai saw you?"

"Kenshin!" She gasped. "Of course… I just… didn't want to believe… and I won't have any part of it, Itami Hitan!"

"Really?" He smirked. "I can think of quite a few things I could do to make you change your mind. Horrible, horrible things… I'll let you go and give you time to think about it. Take this with you."

A moon-white hand came out of the cave and dropped a dagger much like the one she had once owned into the snow. "Do not speak of our meeting."

"I won't listen to you…" She growled, eyes narrowing.

"Oh, yes… you will."

She leaned down into the snow to pick up the dagger. She slowly began to unsheathe it as she lifted it off the ground.

"Yukishirou-san, I'm surprised at you!" He laughed. "You really wish to murder me? You want me dead because I want Himura dead. That doesn't make you any different than me! It's depressing, really."

"What?" Tomoe asked, eyes widening.

"You see, you want to kill, and I want to kill, which either way is supposed to be 'bad' or something like that… The depressing part is that you wish to kill… and you have a soul…"

She stumbled backwards, stunned.

"Well…" He cackled. "For now… anyway."

His laughter echoed among the trees as she bolted away, terrified.

-

"Oh, look, it's Himura. Joy and rapture and all that," Saitou said blandly as they approached the doctor's office. Kenshin was sitting on the step looking rather solemn.

Kenshin looked up when they came closer. "Saitou… and Sano… what are you two doing together?"

"Picking out curtains," Saitou said flatly. "What's this I hear about a wife of yours reappearing from the dead or something?"

"Tomoe…" Kenshin mumbled, then buried his head in his knees again. "What does it matter?"

"Looks like he's self-loathing on himself again," Sano whispered to Saitou.

"You know what loathing means?" Saitou whispered back in mock astonishment.

"Shut up!"

"Well, if you're going to sit and mope, could you do it somewhere else?" Saitou asked, raising an eyebrow. "I have no time for ghost stories, and I need to get inside."

Kenshin stood and let Saitou pass, Sano trailing him. "It's not a story… It's true…" Kenshin told him. "She is back from the dead."

"I'll believe it when I see it, Himura," Saitou replied dryly as he opened the door and entered. "And by the way, you should have expected that Kamiya girl to be pissed at you for all of this. You've toyed with her a very long time."

Kenshin looked horrified and confused.

"You know, for someone who fights so well, you sure are bad at reading people's emotions," Saitou shut the door.

Kenshin stared after him. "Toyed with her?… No… I never meant to…" He mumbled, realization beginning to wash over him. He had pulled her back and forth so many times, made her cry… made her smile… and now… He'd hurt her again. He'd let her down. This time… he didn't come to save her…

"I must find her!" He exclaimed, bolting down the steps and heading in the direction of Akabeko. "I must apologize… Even if words are not good enough to express my repentance."

He shoved his way through the sea of people, the cold stinging his face. His breath was a ghost in front of his face. His thoughts rested only on Kaoru, the woman who probably hated him now.

"You've really done it now, Himura," He told himself, his heart aching.


	7. Itami Hitan

Chapter 7: Itami Hitan 

Tomoe somehow snaked her way back into town without getting lost. She supposed her fear had guided her in the right direction. That man was after Kenshin. She had to warn him… but would he still be at the dojo when she returned? Did he even want to speak to her? Probably not… but his safety came first.   
She stopped in front of Akabeko, staring into the eyes of Kaoru who had emerged right in front of her.   
"Kamiya-dono…" Tomoe whispered. "Thank goodness."   
Kaoru glared at her. "What do you want now?"   
"Oh, Kamiya-dono… You're angry. Did something happen?"   
Kaoru marched onto Akabeko's porch, but Tomoe followed right behind her, fearing the worst. What if somehow he had already gotten to Kenshin?   
"Kamiya-dono, please!" Tomoe begged, grabbing her wrist.   
Kaoru stopped and hung her head. "You… ruined everything…" She whispered, her voice cracking. She dropped to her knees and burst into tears, sobbing. "AND I MADE IT WORSE!"   
Tomoe didn't know what to do, dropping down in front of her. "Kamiya-dono, please do not cry… Tell me what's wrong."   
Kaoru looked up at her calm face and sniffed. "Everything is wrong… The dead walk among the living, Yahiko might never be the same, and Kenshin…"   
"Kenshin! What happened to Kenshin?" Tomoe begged, taking her shoulders.   
Kaoru watched her calm features switch to concern. _She really does love him a lot…and…someone of her beauty and grace…deserves him…but I still…_   
"I hit him…" Kaoru murmured in shame. "I was upset and confused… I wasn't acting myself… and I took out all of my anguish on poor Kenshin… I need to apologize to him, but I don't think I can… It's just… ever since you showed up, he's… he…"   
Tomoe wiped away one of Kaoru's tears with her thumb and smiled at her. "Let's get inside the building."   
Kaoru sniffled, then nodded. "O…okay…" 

- 

Yahiko was silent, sitting before Saitou and Sanosuke. He'd answered all of Saitou's questions as simply as possible.   
Saitou knew there was more. He needed to get more answers.   
"Details, boy, details," Saitou said. "I need more than three word answers."   
Yahiko fiddled his fingers in his lap, gnawing on his lower lip for a moment. "There's… really not much to say… You know what he looks like… and you know what he did… so what else do you need from me?"   
Saitou frowned even more if possible. "What I need to know…" He marched up and knelt down before Yahiko. "Is if he can harm me if I run into him." He yanked open the front of Yahiko's shirt. "Like he did to you."   
Yahiko looked at him in horror. "Ah-"   
"I have better senses than you think, brat," Saitou replied.   
"How'd he do that?" Sano exclaimed, staring at the spots on his chest.   
Yahiko pulled his shirt closed and glared at them. "I don't know!" He shouted, glaring and pouting.   
"That's the Yahiko I know," Sano grinned. "Stupid and loud."   
"SHUT UP!" Yahiko yelled.   
Saitou backed up and leaned against the wall, smoking his cigarette. Idiots in their natural habitat, he observed.   
"Are you done?" Saitou asked jadedly.   
They both stopped arguing.   
"Good," Saitou said. "I'm going to go find the girl and question her, and then I'm going after the man."   
"I'll go too!" Sano chimed.   
"Must you?" Saitou moaned. 

- 

Kaoru couldn't believe it. She simply just couldn't believe it. Somehow, someway, she had ended up sitting across from Yukishirou Tomoe in the Akabeko, just staring at her with puffy eyes.   
"Kamiya-dono…" Tomoe began. "You…"   
Kaoru looked down at her hands folded neatly on her lap. They were rough and callused, not like Tomoe's soft and delicate hands. Tomoe's hands were probably much nicer to feel…   
Kaoru cringed a little. It was infuriating! Yukishirou Tomoe with her raven hair, porcelain skin, calm politeness, and remarkable beauty… She was the portrait of perfection… except for one thing… she was dead.   
"You… love Kenshin… do you not?"   
"HAH?!" Kaoru exclaimed, turning beet red. She asked it so casually!! Was she that little of a threat to her?!   
"You are… in love with Kenshin," Tomoe stated, staring at her with far-away eyes.   
"I… Why would you care? He obviously likes you, so why bother even caring about my feelings?" Kaoru asked more bitterly than intended. She was amazed with how horrible she'd been acting today.   
"I just… do…" Tomoe said, looking down at her own hands. "I do care about your feelings, Kamiya-dono… I… I do not think… it is my place to be Kenshin's any longer because… despite the circumstances… I have passed on… but I need to know the truth about your feelings for Kenshin. I need to know that if I should leave that you would be able to take care of him… to protect him."   
Kaoru was stunned. Perfection in human form was practically handing Kenshin to her! Why would she give him up like that? They had a second chance!   
"What's going on?" Kaoru asked seriously. "What happened?"   
"Someone is after Kenshin," Tomoe replied without hesitation.   
"Can't say I haven't heard that before…" Kaoru replied flatly.   
"It's different this time, Kamiya-dono. This man…"   
The doors of Akabeko were opened, but Kaoru and Tomoe did not noticed. They were too immersed in their conversation.   
Tsubame set some dishes onto a table and turned to go get the order from the next one when she froze and paled considerably.   
Tomoe silenced when someone approached, and Kaoru paused mid-sentence.   
"What is it?" Kaoru asked.   
"He's here…" Tomoe whispered.   
Both women looked up.   
"Good afternoon, ladies." 

- 

"Damn it all!" Kenshin shouted, surprised at his vulgarity as he tried to force his way through the busy streets of Tokyo. Why did it have to be so crowded now?! This was important!   
Kenshin slipped into an alleyway and sighed in exasperation. "What to do, what to do?" He wondered. "I must find Kaoru and apologize…"   
Snow began to lightly fall once more onto the already frozen streets. _Snow…_It was such a god-damned constant reminder of what a screw-up he'd been in the past and in the present!   
Either way, there was no chance of him getting to Akabeko with all of these people rushing around, trying to gather things to protect them from the cold or whatnot. After all, he was a small man who could only fight with a sword. Fist to fist and pushing were not his strong suit.   
An idea struck him as he turned and saw behind him, a pile of wooden crates and barrels stacked up to the rooftop. It was worth a shot, he supposed, and he clambered up the objects and took to the roofs. 

- 

"You… you're the man from before!" Kaoru and Tomoe said at the same time.   
"He's back again…" Tsubame whispered, then took off toward the back. She'd remembered what happened the last time.   
"How strange it is to find both of you young ladies here," Itami Hitan said, a smirk playing upon his lips. "Very strange indeed."   
Tomoe trembled before him, staring up at him, horrified. "You… followed me…"   
"Not really… I told you I'd give you some time to think, and now your time is up."   
Kaoru got to her feet and stood face to face with him, masking her fear with determination. "Leave us alone!"   
"Cute," Itami Hitan said blandly. "I don't have time for this, girl."   
Kaoru stared him down, and the two were silent momentarily.   
"My name is Kaoru. It's Kamiya to you."   
"Get lost. I was speaking with Yukishirou-san."   
Tomoe, gaining the courage to speak from watching Kaoru's bravery, now stood and spoke. "I have no wishes to speak with you. You can burn me, stab me, drown me, freeze me, beat me, rape me, or kill me, and I will never help you carry out your 'revenge'."   
Even Kaoru admired that sort of bravery.   
"You'd have to be crazy to think I ever would want to… and you'd have to be more crazy if you think I'm going to stand idly by and watch you try to hurt Kenshin!"   
Politeness gone, Tomoe was a pretty tough chick when it came right down to it, Kaoru realized, and she had to hand it to her for that.   
"Me too!" Kaoru exclaimed. "I won't let you hurt Kenshin, or any of my other loved ones, even if I have to die for it!"   
"Man, Battousai-san's a lucky guy. He's got two gorgeous girls falling all over him. Too bad one's a dead bitch and the other's a crazy bitch."   
"And you're a son of a bitch," Kaoru replied, feeling her face heat with rage.   
"Sticks and stones, dear, sticks and stones," Hitan responded. "Now, Yukishirou-san I coming with me, whether she wants to or not. She belongs to me."   
"I belong to no one!" Tomoe cried, and Kaoru moved in front of her.   
"You're not getting through me."   
Hitan glared at her, and she glared right back into his eyes.   
"Tell me, girl…" He said, smirking. "Have you seen Hell?"   
She suddenly felt like the ground beneath her was on fire, and the longer she stared into his eyes, the more hellish the world around her became.   
"This is… what Yahiko saw…" She gasped, sulfur burning in her lungs.   
"Die…" He hissed, his claws elongating.   
CRASH!   
The spell was broken as he collapsed to the floor, stunned, and Tsubame stood behind him with a broken tray in her hand.   
"RUN!" She squeaked.   
The two didn't take any time to question it, but made sure they grabbed her too.   
"Tsubame, that was so stupid, he could have killed you!" Kaoru exclaimed, dragging her along behind with Tomoe bringing up the rear.   
"I… I know…" Tsubame whimpered, shaken.   
"By the way, thank you," Kaoru responded. 

- 

Kenshin leapt gracefully from rooftop to rooftop, coming ever closer to Akabeko. "I hope she's not gone when I get there," He thought aloud to himself.   
A cough erupted behind him, and then a giggle. "I don't think that's any of your concern right now, Battousai-san."   
Kenshin froze in mid-step. "What?"   
"I've been waiting for this…" The drawing sound of a sword… "…since Bakumatsu…"   
Kenshin flung around and his eyes met with…   
"It's you!…" 

- 

"I can't believe I've got the peanut gallery following me…" Saitou grumbled, glancing over his shoulder at Yahiko and Sanosuke.   
"I can't believe Tomoe's alive," Yahiko responded.   
"I'm telling you, Yahiko, she's an imposter."   
"No chance. Kenshin would never be fooled."   
"Sure he would! If it's convincing enough!"   
"SHUT UP!" Saitou shouted, losing his patience. "Something's going on…"   
"AH! Sanosuke! Yahiko!"   
The two looked passed Saitou. "KAORU!" Yahiko cried.   
"Do you know where Kenshin is?" Tomoe asked.   
"No, do you?" Saitou replied, staring at her in amazement. _This is the girl I saw… in the Bakumatsu…_   
A clash of blades suddenly rang out, drawing everyone's eyes up to the rooftop.   
"Found him…" Yahiko said.   
Saitou gasped, eyes widening. "Hey, rooster…" He whispered. "That thing about the imposter. I disagree."   
They all glanced up to see Kenshin holding off an attack… from Okita Soji, leader of the first squadron of the Shinsengumi… dead at 25 from tuberculosis.   
"Okita…" Saitou rasped. "It's… impossible…" 

(A/N: Yeah, I crawled out of my grave and updated something. Amazing, I know. I'm sure I'll get a bunch of hate reviews, and I deserve them… Please forgive me. I get busy, and when I get writer's block, it's usually REALLY bad, so I'm sorry. Thanks for reading. I'll try to update again soon.) 


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